Even as Americans remain committed to the ideals of democracy, a majority see democracy in the United States as weak and getting weaker, according to a national survey jointly commissioned by Freedom House, the George W. Bush Institute, and the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. With democracy and democratic institutions under attack globally, the three organizations engaged two polling firms, one Democratic and one Republican, to survey Americans’ attitudes about democratic principles and institutions at home and support for U.S. policies that advance democracy abroad. We are grateful to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for its generous support of our research.

Groups that perceive less benefit from the current system of government—notably nonwhite voters—are less convinced of the importance of democracy. Minority groups and people of color are still significantly underserved by U.S. democracy.